U2's Glastonbury gig faces disrupt from tax protestors

Irish rockers U2 are in for an interesting debut at the world famous Glastonbury festival if protestors get their way on Friday night.

An English based arts group is planning to disrupt Bono’s big night in protest at the band’s tax status in Ireland.

U2 maintain they are fully tax compliant in Ireland but have come under increasing criticism for moving parts of their business to Holland to avail of lower tax rates.

Now the Art Uncut group plan to disrupt Friday night’s headline performance by U2, their first at the renowned festival.

The protestors have unveiled a giant inflatable which will criticize U2’s tax move to Holland and will be launched during the set which is to be televised live to millions of fans worldwide.

The group have already sprawled anti-U2 graffiti across toilets at the festival according to the Irish Independent.

The paper reports that more than 130,000 concert-goers who arrived at the festival in Somerset on

Thursday were confronted with graffiti on a number of toilets across the site criticizing U2’s tax arrangements.

A spokesman for Art Uncut told the paper that their protest during U2’s set on the Pyramid Stage would be big and unmissable.

Will Claymore of Art Uncut said: “We’re planning something nice and visual and a real photo opportunity. We need a lot of sympathetic people to help us carry this out, and Glastonbury is the perfect place to find them.

“We are making the protest to draw attention to U2’s controversial 2006 decision to move part of their business to Holland.

“They should pay all their taxes in Ireland. Bono is always preaching about equality and third world rights so why doesn’t he may all his taxes in his homeland.”

Glastonbury’s chief organizer Michael Eavis has defended U2 against the protest and the criticism of the band’s tax status.